➢ Chairman of the Board – International Cyber Security Leadership Committee (ICSLC)
➢ Voted Top 10 Most Influential CISO in the world. – in 2023
➢ Voted 4th Most Influential CISO in the world. – in 2021
➢ CISO of the Year 2018 (Final 3 – achieved 2nd place)
➢ FinTECH Technology Leadership award 2016
➢ BAME CISO of the Year 2014

Azeem Bashir is an award winning industry recognized business-driven Global CIO\CISO with a highly successful background in B2B, FinTECH, Crypto, Investment\Retail Banking, Financial Services, Consulting, Transport, Airline, Energy, Utilities Oil & Gas, Government & Global Corporate sectors, Sovern Wealth Funds. Azeem has held positions as a leading CIO\CISO for EMEAR for many global businesses and is a ‘Trusted Advisor’ on many Cyber Councils & Committees for Cyber Security & Information Security Risk Management, throughout the UK Government, Global Governments, Technology and private banking sectors while working as a Mentor & Leader to other CIO\CISOs. Over 25+ years leading Information\Cyber Security and Information Risk Management delivery and business process change management across multiple sectors, with extensive proven track record across EMEAR & APAC Regions, managing Banking, Oil & Gas, Critical National Infrastructure Cyber-attacks and building Cyber Security & Digital Transformation Programs. Azeem holds numerous industry qualifications across Cyber Security \ Risk Management \ Program Management and is recognized by his peers as an industry leader, a mentor, a SME for incident response \ Handling across multiple sectors, a Global Cyber Security Advisor, Risk Practitioner, Panel\Keynote Speaker & Non-Executive on Information\Cyber Security & Risk Management. Azeem has chaired & Spoken at many Global Cyber Security Summits, is a member of various Cyber Councils\Committees across EMEAR & APAC Regions and is a NED and Advisor to various Organizations.

David Whitelegg is Deputy CISO – Compliance at Compass Group PLC, responsible for global cybersecurity compliance, IT controls, risk assurance and governance across multiple international markets. David specialises in cyber governance, operational resilience, regulatory compliance and the implementation of risk-based security controls that enable business transformation. He is a regular contributor to discussions on AI governance, enterprise risk management and cybersecurity strategy. 

I have worked in the information security field for over 23 years, the majority of the time in the telecommunication industry covering various roles in the Incident Response and Security Operations, Security Architecture and Design and Information Security Management space. I am currently the CISO for VMO2. I am passionate about ensuring security controls are aligned with business needs and promoting security as an enabler with a key focus on how we can maximise ROI and continue to manage our attack surface.

Mike Pitman is a seasoned Chief Information Security Officer with over two decades of experience driving global cybersecurity strategies for multinational organizations. He specializes in building and scaling security functions, delivering complex transformation programs, and aligning security governance with business objectives.

Mike has held senior leadership roles at dunnhumby, Adecco Group, and Rentokil Initial, where he drove strategic security programs, managed global teams, and advised boards on risk reduction and compliance. Currently serving as CISO at BSI, Mike oversees global IT and cybersecurity operations across 31 countries, including ISO 27001 certification and enterprise-wide risk reduction initiatives. His leadership spans security architecture, operations, data privacy, network operations, and IT continuity.

A CISSP-certified professional and (former) advisory board member for InfoSec Europe, Mike is a frequent speaker at industry events, sharing insights on risk management, resilience, and the evolving threat landscape.

Chris is Chief Information Security Officer for Bodycote Plc, responsible for responsible for protecting the organisation’s digital assets and ensuring resilience against cyber threats while enabling business growth.

He is an experienced global cyber security, risk, resilience, intelligence and crisis management leader with a proven track record, in consulting and industry, of reducing business risk, transforming business resilience and minimising harm to customers.

Working with organisations across the financial services, pharmaceutical and consumer goods sectors, his strategies have consistently created high performing, secure and highly resilient organisations.

Chris has a degree in Industrial Economics from the University of Nottingham. He enjoys working in different cultures and has worked extensively across Europe, India and the US.

Carl Baron is Chief Information Security Officer at First Quantum Minerals, where he leads the organisation’s global cyber security strategy, governance, and resilience initiatives across a complex international operating environment. With extensive experience in information security leadership, Carl has built and transformed security capabilities, helping organisations strengthen resilience while enabling business growth. He is passionate about aligning cyber security with business priorities, fostering a pragmatic approach to risk, and developing security strategies that support operational excellence in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Joe Kelly is the Head of Information Security at New Look and a senior cyber security leader with experience across security strategy, governance, risk management, resilience, and operational security.

With over a decade of experience in the retail sector, Joe joined New Look as a Senior Security Analyst and has since led the Cyber Security function for the past five years. He is accountable for driving the organisation’s cyber security maturity and business resilience programmes, ensuring the company can operate securely in an evolving threat landscape. Joe is also a key member of New Look’s Gold Team, providing strategic Information Security leadership during major cyber incidents.

Previously, Joe led the Security function at Dorset Council, where he established and strengthened core security capabilities. He holds an MBA (2022), enabling him to combine technical expertise with strong commercial acumen, ensuring cyber security initiatives are aligned to business priorities and support continued trading and operational resilience.

Johann van Duyn is Chief Information Security Officer at DO & CO AG, bringing more than 25 years of experience leading cyber security strategy, transformation, and resilience across multinational organisations in a wide range of industries. Throughout his career, he has helped organisations navigate complex cyber incidents, regulatory scrutiny, and large-scale security transformations, turning high-pressure challenges into opportunities for long-term business success.

Passionate about aligning cyber security with business outcomes, Johann works closely with executive leadership and boards to build resilient security programmes that enable growth while effectively managing risk. He is recognised for combining strategic vision with practical execution, challenging conventional thinking, and driving organisational resilience in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

Since 2021 Sarah has been working with Urenco, a supplier of enriched uranium within the global nuclear fuel cycle, as their Group CIO. She has three decades of expertise in leading IT delivery teams for Blue Chip, Central Government and Secure organisations and was recently ranked 20th in the 2024 UK Top 100 CIO Awards having demonstrated her expertise in Digital Transformation, Business Change, Consultancy, Service Delivery, Programme, Project, and Organisational Management. Sarah lives in the North West of England on the edge of the beautiful Pennines with her family and dog!

Stuart is the CIO for Europe & APAC at Scotiabank since July 2025. In this role he has responsibility for the leadership and governance of the Europe and APAC Technology Community, supporting the Global Technology Strategy, and ensuring the delivery of business-critical technology and core infrastructure. Previously to Scotiabank, Stuart was the UK CIO at Societe Generale London Branch. During his career he also worked at Credit Suisse, Rabobank and Salomon Brothers, as well as a “dot.com” startup.

Sailesh Panchal is the CTO at TSB, leading enterprise technology strategy, architecture, and delivery. Since joining in 2023, he has established the bank’s architecture function and led key transformation initiatives including Payments, Agile and AI adoption.

He brings over 20 years of experience across financial services, with senior roles at Metro Bank, the Payment Systems Regulator, Lloyds Banking Group, and Travelex, specialising in payments technology and large-scale transformation.

Stephen Monaghan is Chief Technology Officer at TalkTalk and has built a distinguished career as a CIO and CTO across organisations ranging from global brands including Sony and Waterstones to high-growth start-ups. He has developed and led high-performing, diverse teams to drive business change, improve performance, strengthen security, and increase profitability by leveraging technology to enhance customer experience and transform operations across both B2B and B2C environments.

Stephen has extensive experience leading business change, finance and operations transformation, technology strategy, digital roadmaps, security and operations, governance, organisational culture, and large-scale transformation programmes. He is passionate about harnessing technology to solve business challenges and is particularly interested in the commercial and societal potential of emerging technologies, including blockchain and machine learning.

Alongside his executive career, Stephen serves as a Trustee of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), where he supports the organisation’s mission to create a world where blind and partially sighted people can participate equally.

Julian Wheeler is an experienced leader of technology teams as a CIO, CTO and CPTO.  He has extensive experience in multiple sectors including Media, Telecommunications and Software Product industries across both B2B and B2C products and services. He has led global teams through multiple phases of growth, industry disruption and company transitions, including leading business, product and technology transformations to build and launch new products taking advantage of the latest technology including AI, to drive innovation, reach new markets and customers and create new operating models.

Vice President specialising in AI governance, enterprise transformation, and operational excellence within highly regulated financial services environments.

With over 13 years of international experience spanning technology, operations, and risk, I have led large-scale transformation programmes across multiple markets, helping organisations navigate complex change while balancing innovation, governance, and business value.

My focus is on scaling AI and Generative AI from experimentation to controlled, enterprise-wide adoption—enabling regulatory confidence, operational readiness, and measurable business outcomes.

In addition to my professional role, I actively contribute to the wider community through industry speaking engagements and mentoring MBA students at Imperial College Business School.

Karthik Srinivas is the Head of Data and AI Governance | Enterprise AI Lead at MS Amlin, where he leads the organisation’s Enterprise AI strategy and Data and AI Governance, driving the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence across the business. His remit spans AI strategy, governance, enterprise AI platforms, risk management, and embedding AI into business operations while maintaining trust, accountability, and regulatory alignment.

With more than 20 years of experience across AI, data, risk, governance, and digital transformation, Karthik has held leadership roles in financial services, insurance, consulting, and technology. Prior to MS Amlin, he founded an AI and risk technology company and has previously worked with PwC, Deloitte, JP Morgan, and Infosys.

Karthik holds an Executive Diploma in AI from the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and also serves as Non-Executive Director within the public sector, providing strategic oversight and independent challenge on governance, technology, risk, and organisational transformation.

Shamsaldin Al-Said is Chief Information Security Officer at Brink’s Inc., bringing more than 14 years of C-suite cyber security leadership and extensive experience protecting multinational organisations operating in highly regulated and complex environments. A Chartered MBCS professional with an MSc in Cyber Security, he has led global security programmes spanning security operations, governance, risk and compliance, incident response, disaster recovery, business continuity, and cyber resilience across multiple jurisdictions. 

Alongside his executive leadership, Shamsaldin is a visiting MSc lecturer and postdoctoral professorial fellow in cyber security and artificial intelligence at internationally recognised universities and institutions. His expertise spans AI and machine learning, cloud and hybrid security, threat intelligence, third-party risk, critical infrastructure protection, and strategic cyber security transformation. Throughout his career, he has worked across financial services, critical infrastructure, consulting, research, and emerging technology, helping organisations strengthen resilience while navigating an increasingly complex threat landscape. 

Mehdad Mannan is Global Lead – Content Technology at BAT, bringing extensive experience delivering business and technology transformation across global consumer goods organisations. Throughout his career, he has led large-scale initiatives spanning business analysis, process optimisation, digital transformation, vendor management, procurement, and technology delivery, helping organisations improve operational efficiency, reduce complexity, and deliver measurable business value.

With a strong background in customer engagement technologies and enterprise platforms, Mehdad has played a key role in driving global digital performance programmes, managing complex outsourcing and contract negotiations, and optimising multi-tier supplier ecosystems. His expertise spans business process transformation, technology strategy, CRM solutions, digital platforms, procurement, and enterprise applications, with a focus on aligning technology investments to commercial outcomes and organisational performance.

Passionate about innovation and continuous improvement, Mehdad is committed to bridging the gap between business and technology to enable sustainable transformation at scale. A keen technology enthusiast and lifelong learner, he enjoys exploring emerging technologies and their potential to improve both business performance and customer experience, while bringing a collaborative, pragmatic approach to solving complex organisational challenges.

As a Sales Engineering leader at Dialpad, John Work brings 15 years of experience helping enterprises transform their customer engagement strategies with modern cloud contact center solutions. Based in London, he leads the EMEA Sales Engineering team with a focus on guiding enterprises through proofs of concept and showing the impact of modern AI-powered technology. Drawing on deep technical expertise and a consultative approach, John helps teams unlock new opportunities and achieve meaningful outcomes in the way they connect and collaborate

Paul Morrison is a Senior Director of Enterprise Solutions with extensive experience helping organizations drive digital transformation, business growth, and operational excellence. He specializes in developing strategic technology solutions, leading high-performing teams, and delivering innovative outcomes that create lasting business value.

Wassilios is Global Vice President for Strategic Solution Advisory with SAP’s Business Transformation Management business unit, which provides tools, best practices, methodology and services to address all four dimensions of successful transformations: people, processes, applications and data. Based on his past experience as transformation leader, he is a regular speaker at prestigious events and frequently engages with selected major customers in their change initiatives.

Steve Holyer is Director of Data Foundations, Integration & Trust at Salesforce, with over 30 years of experience across some of the world’s leading technology companies, including IBM and Informatica. He specialises in helping enterprise organisations navigate cloud modernisation, data governance, quality and integration at scale, with a particular focus on making data trustworthy, connected, and AI-ready.

Steve brings a rare combination of technical depth and commercial pragmatism, helping clients not just understand what’s possible, but how to get there.

I work with senior decision‑makers and technologists who face high‑stakes choices in noisy, complex & uncertain environments. My value is simple: I use my broad experience in data rich environments to help cut through the confusion, align technology to what matters, so people can make decisions with clarity and conviction.

Craig Hartwell is a highly strategic, revenue-driven technology leader with over 25 years of experience driving enterprise IT and cybersecurity transformation. As the Area VP for UKI & Nordics at Exabeam, Craig helps global organisations safely integrate AI and advanced behavioural analytics into their security operations.

Since joining Exabeam, Craig has held key strategic roles, starting as Director of International Strategic Alliances building global partner ecosystems, before advancing to Enterprise Global Account Director targeting large-scale multinational enterprises, specifically in the financial services sector.

Prior to Exabeam, Craig spearheaded Northern European expansion for industry leaders, serving as Regional Sales Manager for UK&I at Veracode, DevSecOps Sales Lead at CyberArk, and Global AppDev Sales Lead at Compuware. He also held foundational, high-growth sales leadership positions at Symantec, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems. He is passionate about helping organisations establish the strategic guardrails needed to adopt next-generation security at scale.

With over two decades of experience engaging and building empathy with technology leaders, Tom Girdler brings a deep understanding of evolving technological landscapes. His current work at Workday focuses on the profound impact of AI on the future of work, a topic he addressed at last years’ Gartner IT Symposium. No doubt Tom’s passion and desire to drive collaboration will ensure a productive and insightful discussion.

Angus Dike is Cybersecurity Solutions Lead at Huntress, helping customers and managed service providers understand and improve their cybersecurity posture. He brings a practical, technical perspective to product demonstrations, customer conversations and security challenges, with experience spanning endpoint protection, security awareness, integrations and data privacy.

Natalie Gristwood is an Associate Principal Consultant at Dragos specialising in Operational Technology (OT) cybersecurity and industrial control systems. She works with organisations across Critical National Infrastructure sectors to assess cyber risk, improve resilience, and strengthen the security of OT environments.

Natalie has a background in industrial automation and cybersecurity, including extensive experience supporting the civil nuclear sector, with a particular focus on protective monitoring and cyber resilience. She has worked across a range of industries, helping organisations secure operational systems while maintaining safe and reliable operations.

Craig helps organisations turn big data and AI ambitions into real, measurable value.

With 15+ years’ experience across consulting and industry, he’s led major transformation programmes spanning strategy, operating models, and delivery.

At Oakland, he works closely with senior leaders to cut through complexity and focus on what actually moves the needle.

Craig has developed data and AI strategies for organisations including the Information Commissioner’s Office, University of Southampton, Animal Care, S&W, and Simplify, to name a few – always with a focus on delivering outcomes, not just a plan that sits on a shelf. #He brings a pragmatic, down-to-earth approach to strategy, helping teams move faster, stay focused, and unlock value sooner.

As a Senior Director of Operations at Publicis Groupe, I lead the development and implementation of transformative technology strategies that align with business objectives and drive competitive advantage. With over 15 years of experience at Publicis Groupe, I have consistently delivered scalable and robust solutions while optimising operational efficiencies.

A visionary leader and a passionate advocate for digital transformation, I excel in building and nurturing high-performing teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. I hold several professional credentials, including MBCS, MCMI, and MInstCPD, that demonstrate my commitment to continuous learning and development. As the Chair of Trustees for Aspirations Academies Trust, I also volunteer my expertise to oversee the effective management of the trust, ensuring financial stewardship and accountability, and empowering young minds through high-quality education.